7 tips from a professional engineer who used Cursor to write 90% of the code in my ~$1.5k MRR side project
一位专业工程师的 7 个技巧：我用 Cursor 编写了月收入约 1500 美元副项目中 90%的代码

Been moonlighting on a side project the past few weeks called Junk Mail Cleaner. Managed to scale it up to nearly $1.5k MRR via word of mouth and google ads. 90% of the code was written using Cursor in just a few weeks. Sharing my 7 core tips how I've gotten the most value from Cursor:
过去几周我一直在兼职开发一个名为"垃圾邮件清理器"的副业项目。通过口碑传播和谷歌广告，已将其月经常性收入(MRR)提升至近 1500 美元。其中 90%的代码都是使用 Cursor 在几周内完成的。以下分享我从 Cursor 中获取最大价值的 7 个核心技巧：

Prompt down the stack - When working on a new feature, start by prompting the LLM from the top down. Start with the big picture idea and user goals, then work through the data models and relationships you'll need, followed by the specific API endpoints and business logic, and finally the UI components and user interactions - this way the LLM understands the full context and can make smarter decisions about implementation details that align with your overall architecture.
自上而下式提示 - 开发新功能时，应从顶层开始向 LLM 发出提示。首先描述整体构思和用户目标，然后梳理需要的数据模型和关系，接着是具体的 API 接口和业务逻辑，最后才是 UI 组件和用户交互。这种方式能让 LLM 全面理解上下文，从而根据整体架构做出更明智的实现细节决策。
Write tests - One of the most powerful way to guide an LLM is by writing your own comprehensive tests first. When you have a solid test suite that clearly defines expected behavior, you can point the LLM at failing tests and say "make these pass" rather than trying to explain complex requirements in prose, giving you confidence that the generated code actually works and meets your specifications.
编写测试 - 指导 LLM 最有效的方式之一就是先编写全面的测试用例。当您拥有明确定义预期行为的完善测试套件时，可以直接让 LLM 针对失败的测试进行修改，只需说"让这些测试通过"即可，而无需用文字描述复杂需求。这种方法能确保生成的代码真正可用且符合规范，给您十足信心。
Rules - a good rule file should cover all the important stuff for your language/framework - like how to write clean code, what libraries to use, naming conventions, testing approaches, and architectural patterns - organized into clear sections. Keep it practical with real examples rather than abstract theory, and make sure to specify which versions of tools you're using and any custom patterns your codebase follows so everyone stays on the same page. Don't make it too long or complicated. Keep it simple.
规则文档 - 优质的规则文件应涵盖所用语言/框架的所有关键要素，比如如何编写整洁代码、推荐使用的库、命名规范、测试方法以及架构模式，并分门别类清晰呈现。内容要实用，多展示实际案例而非抽象理论，同时务必注明工具版本号和代码库遵循的任何自定义模式，确保团队认知一致。切忌冗长复杂，保持简洁明了。
Use workspaces - Putting your frontend and backend in the same Cursor workspace is a game changer because the LLM can see and understand your entire stack at once. It can trace API calls from your UI components to your server endpoints, spot inconsistencies between client side data models and server responses, and make coordinated changes across both sides without you having to constantly explain how everything connects.
使用工作区 - 将前后端放在同一个 Cursor 工作区是革命性的改变，因为 LLM 能同时查看并理解整个技术栈。它可以追踪从 UI 组件到服务器端点的 API 调用，发现客户端数据模型与服务器响应间的不一致，并在无需你反复解释系统关联的情况下，实现跨端协调修改。
MCP, use but dont abuse - MCP servers make Cursor better by connecting it to live external data and tools. I use Context7 up to date docs, task master for organization, and other servers can hook into GitHub, databases, and dev tools so the LLM can pull real data and execute actions beyond just writing code.
善用 MCP 但勿滥用 - MCP 服务器通过连接实时外部数据与工具显著提升 Cursor 能力。我使用 Context7 保持文档最新，用 Task Master 进行任务管理，其他服务器还能接入 GitHub、数据库和开发工具，让 LLM 不仅能编写代码，更能获取真实数据并执行操作。
Mix up models - Claude 4 for feature planning and architecture decisions, then Gemini 2.5 Pro for actual implementation when you need fast code generation with massive context windows. o3 for the really complex stuff.
混合使用模型 - 用 Claude 4 进行功能规划和架构决策，当需要大上下文窗口快速生成代码时切换 Gemini 2.5 Pro 实现具体功能，遇到真正复杂的难题时启用 o3 模型。
Maintain best SWE practices - Stick to classic software engineering principles when working with LLMs. Break problems into small, focused chunks, maintain clear separation of concerns, and design modular components. Models perform way better when they're solving one specific well defined problem at a time rather than trying to build entire features in massive monolithic prompts.
坚持最佳软件工程实践 - 使用 LLMs 时仍需遵循经典软件工程原则。将问题拆解为小而专注的模块，保持清晰的职责分离，设计模块化组件。模型在每次解决一个明确定义的特定问题时表现更佳，而非试图通过庞大臃肿的提示词一次性构建完整功能。

At the end of the day, LLMs and Cursor are another tool to make writing code easier and most importantly, more fun. I'm not getting burned out the way i used to, I'm shipping more, and overall just having a blast. Lastly, remember embrace the iterative approach to building successful projects that has always been. Don't expect Cursor to one shot everything. Go slow to go fast.
归根结底，LLMs 和 Cursor 只是让编码更轻松（更重要的是更有趣）的工具。我不再像过去那样精疲力竭，产出更多代码，整个过程充满乐趣。最后请记住：沿用始终有效的迭代式项目构建方法，别指望 Cursor 能一键解决所有问题。欲速则不达。

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